Method of making an identification leader for motion picture film



Feb. 20, 1962 s. P. soLow ET AL 3,022,165

METHOD OF MAKING AN IDENTIFICATION LEADER FOR MOTION PICTURE FILM Original Filed Aug. 17, 1956 zar/6J:

MKILWM United States Patent Olice 3,022,165 METHOD F MAKING AN IBENTIFICATHGN LEADER FR MOTION PICTURE FILM Sidney P. Solow, 1793 Ambassador Ave., Beverly Hills, Calif., and Robert H. Yamini, North Hollywood, Calif. (42 Bradford Road, Scarsdale, NY.)

Original application Aug. 17, 1956, Ser. No. 604,846, new Patent No. 2,898,05, dated Aug. 11, i959. Divided and this application (Bet. 2, 195g, Ser. No. 769,965

3 (Ilaims. (Cl. 96-43) This invention relates to an motion picture film, whether particularly, the invention relates to a new and improved film leader of new and improved, readily legible, facile, and relatively rfoolproof and having improved qualities of strength, wear and desired uniformity.

In the prior art of preparing rolls of film for use in projection or for storage, it is customary to provide a socalled white leader generally comprising a length of corresponding motion picture film in the form of raw stock, ordinarily slightly yellowish in appearance, and on which there is inscribed, conventionally by hand, the in india ink, or the like, together with other appropriate identification, such as the name of the picture, the reel number, and the like desired or pertinent information. The purpose of the white leader or head leader is to indicate by the opaque white form thereof that the film on the reel is head out and is accordingly ready for projection without necessity for rewinding the same beforehand.

By way of contrast and for ease of identification the other orvtail end of the roll of lrn is ordinarily indicated by means of a corresponding length of black opaque motion picture film referred to as a tail leader.

In the extensive use of prints being made for motion pictures, and in particular for television stations, a large number of 16 mm. and the like prints of a subject may be required. Conventional practice calls for the aflixation of a white or head leader to the beginning of print in the manner above described, and writing thereon, by hand, usually in ink, the information aforesaid, as well, for example, as the name of the producer, the title of the television series, the title of the particular episode, the number of such episode, the date on which the same is to be broadcast, and such further items of information or identification, or both, as is called for.

Occasionally the head leader is referred to as a protective leader, since it is commonly subjected to a considerable amount of wear and tear during projection because of its being the section of film normally handled by the projectionist to accomplish the threading of the projection machine.

Notwithstanding the above, the head leader co-nventionally consists of ordinary raw stock, as stated, and is therefore not as strong as circumstances would require. And this results in frequent replacement, because of its excessive mutilation after repeated uses or projections. In some cases, the information contained thereon is also mutilated, effaced or destroyed. In addition to requiring the individual attention of a person charged with inscribing and maintaining the desired information thereon, with attendant embarrassing and costly mistakes such as is involved, for example, in using a wrong title, number,

identification leader for positive or negative. More date, or the like, it is also the practice to connect the4 economical application, and

3,022,165 Patented Feb. 20, 1962 white leader to the body of the film, i.e., at the lead end thereof, wherefore, said leader may not correspond to the particular film on which it is actually spliced, or if there is such desired correspondence, the splice used to connect such leader to the body of the film may come apart and the leader therefor separated. Again, the method of splicing raw stock and using pen and ink, or the like, or inscribing the desired information, involves an excessive expenditure of time and labor.

This application constitutes a division of our copending application for Identification Leader for Motion Picture Film, bearing Serial No. 604,846, filed August 17, i956, issued August 1l, 1959, as Patent No. 2,898,805.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improvedmethod of making an identification leader for motion picture film.

Other objects and purposes will appear from the following description and considered. in the light of the accompanying drawings and appended claims wherein like parts are designated by like reference numerals.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a corporating a head this invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the head leader illustrated in FIGURE l.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view as on a line 3-3 of FIGURE 2. I

VliIGl'LlRE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 2, but disclosing a negative from which the positive print of FIG- URE 2 is derived, and also therefore illustrating a method ot composing a portion o-f this invention or making a .nished positive print embodying this invention.

FIGURE lo is a sectional View taken as on line 4a 4a of `FiGUlE 4.

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 3, but illustrating another preferred form of head leader embodying this invention.

FIGURE 6 portion and film portion associated therewith illustrating a third preferred embodiment of this invention.

FIGURE 7 is a plan View of a head leader fragment showing a means and method of adding individual identifcation, numbers, or the like, to individual positive prints.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, a body or roll of film 2t), mounted upon a conventional reel 21, comprises a main Strip or body portion 22, adapted to be projected on a screen or telecast, and an end portion 23, ordinarily approximately two or three feet long, con- Vstituting the head leader.

The head leader is preferably spaced from the film strip portion 22 as by means of a blank film portion 24.

The head leader' itself comprehends that portion of the film extending from the end 25 to the blank portion 24. It includes, in the positive print illustrated in FIG- URES l, 2 and 3, a strip of film 26 continuous with the main film strip body 22 and integral therewith, and a layer of white opaque cellophane, or the like, material 28, closely adherent and cemented to the film portion 26 as by means of an adhesive or cement 29.

The film portion 26, in the positive print illustrated in said FIGURES 1 through 3, is transparent except for portions thereof comprising identification numerals and/ or letters in the form of a black photographic image perspective view of a roll of film inleader of a preferred form embodying is a fragmentary plan view of a head leader` which appears in strong contrast against the white opaque background 28. Thus, in the embodiment of FIGURE l, such designation on the head leader is: CONSOL LINE UP The Doe Case Prod. No. ?.-58 Release No. H55ll25 HEADS. An emblem or trademark 33 may also appear in addition to the other identification 31 last quoted.

While-the entire head leader portion 26 of the film may be transparent, as indicated, it is preferable that the white opaque backing 28 comprise the strip extending only from the edge 32 to a position 33, spaced inwardly from the sprocket holes 34, so as not to interfete with the usual operation of the film projector.

Ey the above described construction, the identification information 3) and 31 comprises, advantageously, as stated, approximately the first two or three feet from the head end of the negative from which the main body of the print is made, so that the identifying information is photographically printed on the beginning of the print Z3 (FGURE l) in the form of the substantially relatively dark letters and numerals or like identification 3f. Since the head leader portion 26 otherwise provides a transparent background, the White opaque leader portion 2S makes the identification 30, 31, clearly visible and in the form of a white opaque leader similar in appearance to conventional head leaders and integral with the film portion 22 by virtue of the portion 25 integral and continuous therewith. The identification, as noted, is preferably read longitudinally of the leader and is of sufficient magnitude to be fully intelligible to the eye without magnification. By virtue of the reenrorcement 28 the head leader is also stronger than the ordinary film portion 26 would be if unreenforced, and in any event, stronger than the customary raw film leader heretofore customarily employed.

In the production of the head leader, for the positive lm of FGURES l through 3, for example, a negative lm strip 40, as shown in FIGURE 4, is cut through its blank portion 41, as along a line 42. A film strip negative d3 is spliced thereto in a conventional manner, along an area 44 of the negative film strip. The negative film strip portion 43 has the desired identifying information 31 photographically printed thereon.

Accordingly, when the positive print (FGURES l through 3) is developed from the negative do, d3, the letters and numbers or other identification 31 which appears on the negative 43 as white letters as against a black background will appear in the positive as the desired black letters and numbers 31 against the transparent background of the head portion 23 of the positive print.

The White opaque material ZS, as in the form of a white opaque cellophane tape, is applied and adhered permanently to the underside of the positive print, as stated, so that the identification is clearly visible as black detail against the white opaque background of the material 28. Thus, the resultant leader is given said desired conventional white opaque appearance, having letters and numbers legibly and easily distinguishable thereon without the possibility of anyone making a mistake by writing the wrong information on the protective leader or head leader according to usual prior art practice.

A tape, such as 2S, is applied very quickly so that the involved time and labor are materially reduced. The strength of the tape 28 when added to that of the leader portion 26 gives a resultant leader of `greater strength than that of the film 22. Such leader possesses excellent resistance to the mutilation and handling to which, as stated, it is customarily subjected.

As indicated in FIGURE 5, another embodiment of the invention may consist of the application to the back of the positive film strip portion 23 of an adhering layer, coating, or laminar 50, in any desired color, preferably white but permissibly also even black, so that the information can appear as colored letters against a White or other contrasting background. Thus, the layer 5G can be in lieu of the tape 28, and is optionally achieved as by spraying, brushing, or otherwise, a suitable white ink, paint, or other such adherent material.

Further, as shown in FIGURE 6, the desired information 3d may be inscribed in the negative 43, eg., into the emulsion thereof, by burning the emulsion, punching numbers or letters into the film or therethrough, or by applying separate adhering numbers, letters or designs, or the like, so that the final result consists of a photographic image in the positive print.

As illustrated in FIGURE 7, in view of the presence of the opaque white background, either 28 or 5t), or other colored background, as indicated, any additional numerical or other identification may be applied to the leader. Thus, where a plurality of prints are made and it is dcsired to identify them separately, eg., by number, from one another, additional information may be inscribed on the individual leader by pen and ink, or otherwise inscribing, punching, or adhering identifying characters as previously indicated. In said FlGURE 7, for example, the numeral 25 has been inscribed or printed upon the print as designated as Black and White Print Number 25.

This invention features the provision of a means and method whereby a generally transparent leader containing letters having a color, or colors, may be employed against a background of a contrasting color, or colors, with the letters therefor strongly visible therethrough, the leader being stronger than ordinary film, and having superior resistance to wear and being foolproof in use and saving in time and labor as compared to prior art devices intended to accomplish similar purposes.

Although we have herein shown and described our invention in what we have conceived to be the most practical and preferred method, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of our invention which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent methods.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new as:

l. The method of making a positive motion picture film print which includes a light reliectively readable and reinforced identification head leader, comprising the steps of exposing a strip of negative film to a head leader identification image, developing and fixing said negative film so as to render said leader identification image visible forming a negative head leader, splicing said negative head leader to a length of exposed and developed negative motion picture film, photographically printing a positive continuous print of generally uniform width and thickness and having sprocket holes along one edge only thereof from said negative motion picture film and said negative head leader, developing and fixing said positive print thereby obtaining a motion picture section and a head leader section extending therefrom and both sections being in the nature of transparencies with images viewable by light transmitted therethrough, adhesively affixing to the emulsion side of the head leader section of said print a flexible reinforcing opaque backing between the sprocket holes and edge remote from said holes, of a color contrasting with the image on the head leader section to render visible by reflected light the image on the head leader section.

2. The method of making a positive motion picture film print which includes alight refiectively readable and reinforced identification head leader as defined in claim l wherein the fiexible reinforcing opaque backing which is adhesively affixed is a strip of material corresponding to the length of said head leader.

3. The method of making a positive motion picture film print which includes a light reflectively readable and reinforced identication head leader as defined in claim 1 wherein the step of adhesively affixing the flexible reinforcing opaque backing comprises spraying on the emul- 6 sion side of the head leader section of said print a liquid 1,655,297 Thornton Jan. 3, 1928 self adhering opaque material and drying the material 2,286,834 Rittenhouse June 16, 1942 until it solidies, and during the step of spraying on the 2,318,287 Brolin May 4, 1943 material avoiding blocking up of the sprocket holes. 2,606,409 Gordon Aug, 12, 1952 5 2,843,004 Pajes July 15, 1958 References Cited 1n the ie of this patent QTHER REFERENCES 

1. THE METHOD OF MAKING A POSITIVE MOTION PICTURE FILM PRINT WHICH INCLUDES A LIGHT REFLECTIVELY READABLE AND REINFORCED INDENTIFICATION HEAD LEADER, COMPRISING THE STEPS OF EXPOSING A STRIP OF NEGATIVE FILM TO A HEAD LEADER IDENTIFICATION IMAGE, DEVELOPING AND FIXING SAID NEGATIVE FILM SO AS TO RENDER SAID LEADER IDENTIFICATION IMAGE VISIBLE FORMING A NEGATIVE HEAD LEADER, SPLICING SAID NEGATIVE HEAD LEADER TO A LENGTH OF EXPOSED AND DEVELOPED NEGATIVE MOTION PICTURE FILM, PHOTOGRAPHICALLY PRINTING A POSITIVE CONTINUOUS PRINT OF GENERALLY UNIFORM WIDTH AND THICKNESS AND HAVING SPROCKET HOLES ALONG ONE EDGE ONLY THEREOF FROM SAID NEGATIVE MOTION PICTURE FILM AND SAID NEGATIVE HEAD LEADER, DEVELOPING AND FIXING SAID POSITIVE PRINT THEREBY OBTAINING AMOTION PICTURE SECTION AND A HEAD LEADER SECTION EXTENDING THEREFROM AND BOTH 